Animated time piece

ABSTRACT

A time piece having animated motion resulting from an annular member mounted slidably around an eccentrically rotatable wheel, the eccentrically mounted wheel being mounted on a shaft rotatable by a time mechanism at a rate of one rotation per minute, in a preferred embodiment there being a rotatable transparent disk concentrically mounted on a shaft and rotatable by the shaft at a rate of one rotation per minute, the transparent disk having thereon an animate-appearing object.

United States Patent 1 1 Tupone July 24, 1973 [54] ANIMATED TIME PIECE FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1 1 lnventorl Henry M 1747 57th 41,623 11/1907 Switzerland 58/152 F 1 Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 Filed; 22, 1971 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-U, Weldon 7 g [21] 210,990 Attorney-William T. Hough and LaforestS. Saulbery [52] U.S. Cl. 58/125 R, 58/126 R [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. G04b 47/00 A time p1ece havmg animated mot1on resultmg from an 0f Scll'ch R, R, annular member mounted around an eccentri 58/2 152 F cally rotatable wheel, the eccentrically mounted wheel being mounted on a shaft rotatable by a time mecha- [56] Reta-mus Cited nism at a rate of one rotation per minute, in a preferred UNITED STATES PATENTS embodiment there being a rotatable transparent disk 204,607 6/1878 Powell 58/106 concentrically mounted on a shaft and rotatable by the 439,854 11/1890 Bannatyne shaft at a rate of one rotation per minute, the transpar- 1,126,214 1 1/1915 Herschede ent disk having thereon an animate-appearing object. 2,406,251 8/1946 Porcelh 1 v 2,791,853 5/1957 Coons et al. 58/127 R 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ANIMATED TIME PIECE This invention relates to a time piece such as a wrist watch, a pocket watch, or a clock, having animated motion by a novel mechanism.

BACKGROUND Prior to this invention there have been numerous animated time pieces. However a distinct disadvantage with prior time pieces has been the complexity of the mechanism of the respective time pieces in order to effect the animated motion. Together with the complexity was the accompanying problems of maintenance and repair. Also because of the complexity thereof, the cost was unduly high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of this invention is to overcome one or more of the above type problems.

Another object is to obtain new and exciting animated effect not heretofore possible.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more of the preceding objects are obtained by the invention as described hereafter.

The invention broadly includes the utilization of a second-hand shaft, i.e., a shaft rotating at a rate of one rotation per minute, for fixedly mounting thereon a circular wheel eccentrically mounted on the shaft to be rotated by the shaft, and having mounted around the perimeter of the eccentrically mounted wheel, a member annular in shape and slidably snugly fittable around the perimeter of the eccentrically mounted wheel and having a guide retaining means such as retaining posts preventing the rotation of the annular member with the rotating eccentrically mounted wheel and having a protrusion or projection extending from the annular member typically with a cat, a dog, or the like-shape and appearing member at about the distal end of the protrusion whereby eccentric motion of the eccentrically mounted wheel imparts a to and fro action to the protrusion in the animate-appearing object. In a preferred embodiment, there'is a second moving member but rotatin gconcentrically around the same or another shaft butalso preferably at a rate of one rotation per minute and having imprinted thereon, or mounted thereon, as the case may be, an animate-appearing object preferably but other objects are possible, such that preferably for example a bouncing ball jumps or a frog jumps up or a rocket ship blasts off, or the like, the animated motion being about the same in any of these cases.

- Additionally as a preferred embodiment the projecting shaft from the slidable annular member mounted around the eccentrically mounted wheel has at least along a certain portion of the shaft opposite edges one convex edge and an opposing opposite concave side edge with the shaft fairly snugly slidable between guiding posts such that the guiding post on one side presses against the convex portion and the concave portion of the opposite side fits slidably around the opposite post during the axial movement of the shaft thereby imparting also a sudden lateral or sideward movement which for example causes the cat not only to move upwardly but to move sidewardly giving the impression that the cat is jumping. The eccentrically mounted wheel is mounted on its particular shaft such that preferably the cat jumps upwardly and laterally forwardly toward the mouse as the mouse approaches by virtue of the mouse being painted on or mounted on the concentrically mounted and rotating transparent disk. Thereby each time the mouse approaches the cat, the cat jumps at the mouse.

THE FIGURES FIG. I is an elevation plan in-part view of a watch casing and watch face, together with a cut away portion illustrating the pertinent mechanism of the eccentrically mounted wheel and the annular member mounted around the wheel and the shaft extending from the annular member and the opening in the face of the dial through which is viewable, the cat, and showing the mouse on the rotating concentrically-mounted transparent disk.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, in an in-part side view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan in-part view of an alternative embodiment in which an annular ring 7a that is mounted upon the eccentrically mounted wheel 7 has two radiallyextending arms 10a and 10b angularly spaced from one another and respectively upon the outer ends of which the cat and mouse are mounted.

FIG. 4 in a fragmentary top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the annular member mountable around the eccentrically mounted wheel that is directly mounted upon the second hand shaft.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates a watch case 19 having a watch mechanism mounted therein, a secondhand shaft 5 (i.e., the shaft rotates once every minute), a eccentrically mounted wheel 6 fixedly mountable on and mounted on the shaft 5 such that the wheel 6 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 5, annular member 7 slidably mounted on and around the eccentrically mounted wheel 6 with a projection, protrusion, or shaft 10 substantially radially extending therefrom between the opposing guide posts 8 located on opposite'sides of the shaft 10, thereby guiding to and fro motion, with the shaft 10 having a convex sideward portion or edge 10a and an opposite concave sideward portion or edge 10b whereby when the cat moves toward the extended position of the shaft i.e., when the cat is jumping upwardly due to eccentric action upon the shaft upon the eccentric wheel, the pressure of the convex portion against the adjacent post causes the shaft to move laterally in the direction of the concave portion while the shaft concurrently is moving outwardly by virtue of the outwardly pushing motion of the eccentrically mounted wheel, and whereby the lateral and outward motion imparts a upwardly and sidewardly jumping action to the cat 9, the mounting of the eccentrically mounted wheel being predeterminedly timed to correspond to the approaching position of the mouse 18 which is either painted on, impressed on, or mounted on preferably a transparent concentric disk 14 concentrically mounted on second-hand annular shaft 13, with the minute-hand annular shaft 12 being mounted therein and extending outwardly above the shaft 13, and with the hour-hand shaft 11 within the annular shaft 12. The hour hand 17 is mounted on the hour hand shaft 11, the minute hand 16 is mounted on the minute-hand shaft 12, andthe second-hand transparent disk 14 with the mouse 18 as the indicator being mounted on the second-hand shaft 13.

In FIG. 2, a vertical sectional view is given for that of FIG. 1, illustrating the structural relationship of the mounting watch structure 20 containing the usual gearing and shafts but not shown, the shaft 5, the eccentrically mounted wheel 6, the annular wheel 7, the hourshaft 11, the minute shaft 12, and the second shaft 13, together with the watch face with an opening 15' therein. The cat 9 will appear through this opening l5.

It should be noted that preferably the eccentrically mounted wheel 6 has an outer perimeter of which the upper face diameter is less than the lower face diameter and the inner diameter of the annular member 7 at the upper face is less than at the lower face whereby the member 7 fits slidably and snugly down on the eccentrically mounted wheel 6 and thereby supported thereon, see FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which merely a single hour shaft, minute shaft, and second shaft are needed, i.e., not necessitating the second (additional) second-hand shaft 5 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the second-hand shaft 5' as is better viewable in FIG. 5 side view has fixedly (but possibly detachably) mounted thereon an eccentric wheel 6' with the annular member 7 mounted therearound, and at a more elevated portion of the shaft 5 the transparent mouse-carrying disk 14 is concentrically mounted. Accordingly, all other structures and mechanisms are substantially the same as that illustrated in FIG. 1 except for the fact that the animated motion of the cat as well as the motion of the mouse all are derivable from the centrally located second-hand shaft 5', with the minute-hand shaft and the hour-hand shaft mounted within as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

It is to be understood that other variations are possible by a mere employment of reasonable imagination and ordinary mechanical skill as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in this field of endeavor. Accordingly, so long as the animated motion arises by virtue of a slidable member with means preventing the rotation thereof, with the slidable member mounted slidably around an eccentric wheel, the animated motion is within the scope and spirit of this invention. Also such animated motion relative to other movement allowing to and fro freedom of movement of said protrusion means as the eccentric wheel is rotated by the shaft.

2. The animated time-piece of claim 1, including a stationarily mounted dial face provided with an opening through which said animated-object portion of said protrusion is visible during movement thereof relative to said face, and said guide means comprising two posts spaced apart from one-another and being included as a fixed part of a watch structure mountable of said time mechanism.

3. The time piece of claim 2, including a movable member concentrically rotatably mounted on a second shaft at a vertex, and said movable member is rotatably movable about each of said dial face and said protrusion, said movable member having a first portion thereof at said vertex and a second portion spaced outwardly from and rotatable around said vertex, said movable member being operatively connected to said mechanism such that said movable member rotates around said vertex at a rate of one rotation per minute.

4.'The time piece of claim 3, in which said eccentric wheel has an upper face and a lower face, the upper face having a diameter less than the lower face, in which said annular member has an upper face and a lower face, said upper face having an inner diameter less than the annular member lower face inner diameter, and in which said protrusion means comprises a shaft with a convex side edge portion and an oppositeside-edge concave portion, said convex and concave edge portions being located along said shaft substantially snugly adjacent said opposite posts such that outward movement of the shaft between the post is impartwhether it be movement associated with a second hand as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, or whether the movement be coordinated with a minute hand or an hour hand, the principle is the same and such alternate embodiments of the invention are clearly within the scope of face having a diameter less than the lower face, and

said annular member having an upper face and a lower face, said upper face having an inner diameter less than the annular member lower face inner diameter, and in which said protrusion means comprises a shaft with a convex side edge portion and an opposite-side-edge concave portion, said convex and concave edge portions being located along said shaft substantially snugly adjacent said opposite posts such that outward movement of the shaft between the posts is impartable of a lateral movement of the distal portion.

6. The time piece of claim 1, including a second rotatable shaft connected to said mechanism to be rotatable at a rate of one rotation per minute, said movable member being mounted on and rotatable with said second shaft.

7. The time piece of claim 1, including a movable member concentrically rotatably mounted on a second shaft at a vertex and said movable member is rotatably movable about each of said face and said protrusion, said movable member having a first portion thereof at said vertex and a second portion spaced outwardly from and rotatable around said vertex, said movable member being operatively connected to said mecha nism such that said movable member rotates around said vertex at a rate of one rotation per minute.

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1. An animated time-piece comprising in combination time mechanism means for imparting rotary motion to a shaft at a rate of rotation per minute; a wheel having a circular perimeter eccentrically mounted on said shaft; an annular member snugly slidably mounted around said perimeter of the eccentric wheel, said annular member having fixedly extending therefrom a protrusion means, at least a distal portion of said protrusion means having an impression of an animate object; and guide retainer means to keep said annular member from rotating with said eccentric wheel and allowing to and fro freedom of movement of said protrusion means as the eccentric wheel is rotated by the shaft.
 2. The animated time-piece of claim 1, including a stationarily mounted dial face provided with an opening through which said animated-object portion of said protrusion is visible during movement thereof relative to said face, and said guide means comprising two posts spaced apart from one-another and being included as a fixed part of a watch structure mountable of said time mechanism.
 3. The time piece of claim 2, including a movable member concentrically rotatably mounted on a second shaft at a vertex, and said movable member is rotatably movable about each of said dial face and said protrusion, said movable member having a first portion thereof at said vertex and a second portion spaced outwardly from and rotatable around said vertex, said movable member being operatively connected to said mechanism such that said movable member rotates around said vertex at a rate of one rotation per minute.
 4. The time piece of claim 3, in which said eccentric wheel has an upper face and a lower face, the upper face having a diameter less than the lower face, in which said annular member has an upper face and a lower face, said upper face having an inner diameter less than thE annular member lower face inner diameter, and in which said protrusion means comprises a shaft with a convex side edge portion and an opposite-side-edge concave portion, said convex and concave edge portions being located along said shaft substantially snugly adjacent said opposite posts such that outward movement of the shaft between the post is impartable of a lateral movement of the distal portion.
 5. The time piece of claim 1, in which said eccentric wheel has an upper face and a lower face, the upper face having a diameter less than the lower face, and said annular member having an upper face and a lower face, said upper face having an inner diameter less than the annular member lower face inner diameter, and in which said protrusion means comprises a shaft with a convex side edge portion and an opposite-side-edge concave portion, said convex and concave edge portions being located along said shaft substantially snugly adjacent said opposite posts such that outward movement of the shaft between the posts is impartable of a lateral movement of the distal portion.
 6. The time piece of claim 1, including a second rotatable shaft connected to said mechanism to be rotatable at a rate of one rotation per minute, said movable member being mounted on and rotatable with said second shaft.
 7. The time piece of claim 1, including a movable member concentrically rotatably mounted on a second shaft at a vertex and said movable member is rotatably movable about each of said face and said protrusion, said movable member having a first portion thereof at said vertex and a second portion spaced outwardly from and rotatable around said vertex, said movable member being operatively connected to said mechanism such that said movable member rotates around said vertex at a rate of one rotation per minute. 